[Outside the Garden of No Return] Lower Education (Open)

[Seidaku]

Timestamp: 75th Day of Summer, 511 A.V.

The chalk appeared to have made an impact on the level of immersion in his classes. Seidaku congratulated himself on the idea of providing the chalk for his students. So far, in the quarter of a season that he had been out here, he had seen no signs of any lasting impression from the chalk on the stones of the courtyard that he had hijacked for his classes. In fact, one problem that he had run into was his students' work disappearing in the middle of an exercise as the city worked its will.

Minor obstacles aside, though, he thought to himself with a pleased smile, Things are going quite nicely. Participation is up, I don't feel quite as much like vomiting every time I think of standing up in front of the class, the number of students is up...

He frowned slightly as he considered that last point, walking up and down the short rows of his students and oversaw their work. He very much doubted that he was going to be able to continue holding classes out here in the courtyard, especially if he had any intention of taking their education beyond their basic letters and numbers someday. Eventually, he was going to need to provide them with real supplies and a real place for them to do their learning.

The very thought of that made him cringe. He did not know how much a building large enough to use as a school would cost, but he did not doubt that it would be more than he could afford.

With a sigh, he pushed the thought from his mind. Kneeling down beside a young boy, he smiled reassuringly and said, "Much improved from last class, Willem. But," he pointed to a section of blockily written text, "This should be 'I am writing, not 'I writing'."

He would be the first to admit, verb conjugation was not the most interesting of topics, but it was an important building block. And, the exercise had a two fold use, allowing the students to work on their letters and teaching through repetition the different verb forms.

[Keido]

To better understand the ever changing nature of Alvadas, Keido was told to try out the Garden of No Return for himself. It was just like a mini version of the city. It is forever changing to try and trick those who enter unless they know its secrets.

In between the entrance and Keido was a group of children. Drawing something around with their instructor. Alvadas was said to be the place where those which are passionate in the arts gather. This group must be the budding artists of the future.

Keido would like to see for himself what do the people of Alvadas do for their free time so he walked towards the entrance. But when he was passing by the group he slowed down. Taking glances and glimpses into what they were doing. They were not drawing as he had thought, but writing. It was unmistakable that those words were written in common instead being random drawing symbols, even if they were slightly poorly worded.

Forgetting his destination, Keido turned away from the entrance and started circling the children. Watching what they were doing and writing. Some were better than others and while Keido was so interested into what they were writing he accidentally answered to whatever he heard.

"Yes, I believe you are writing."

[Seidaku]

Kneeling beside another of his students, Seidaku placed his own piece of chalk onto the stone of the courtyard and sketched out a letter, "Down, and then, ah, to the right, not the left," he said as he wrote, "Right is a 'b', and left is a 'd'."

Pushing himself back to his feet, he noticed that his class had attracted an onlooker. In and of itself, this was not an uncommon occurance. But this was the first time said onlooker had not taken a quick glance and then gone about their business. In this instance though, the man now observing his class had stopped to watch, and was now making a slow circuit of the courtyard, watching the writing intently.

Seidaku slipped the piece of chalk back into the pouch tied to his belt and started toward the man. There was something familiar about him. Dusting chalk from his hands, he put on a welcoming smile and asked, "Can I, umm, help you?"

[Keido]

"Opps, I am sorry for interrupting you with your classes. But I have to say nice work with these children." Keido was smiling happily to see something this fulfilling happening right before him.

A quick glance back at the papers showed Keido that these classes were more for teaching the children what to write rather than how to write. The words were inconsistent and made no sense was he read them. Each child had a different one. Maybe because their teacher was focusing on the basics.

"So what else do you teach these children?" While they were on the basics, its not uncommon for a teacher to be specialized in various subjects. There could be higher levels here. Parts where Keido could observe to try and broaden his horizons.

[Seidaku]

Seidaku's smile broadened at the words of praise, "Thank you, sir." It was a pleasant surprise to find someone in Alvadas who appreciated what he was trying to accomplish. Certainly, his city was not some backwater, but there was a definite stigma against the pursuit of knowledge over more artistic endeavors.

A glance over his shoulder showed that several of his students had lost focus on their studies and were watching him speak with the stranger. "Continue working on your conjugation, please," he told them, an expression he hoped came across as stern on his face, "When you are finished with, umm, conjugation, I will review your work to make sure others can read it." The sternness faded as he saw them return to their work, "After all, there is no point in writing if others cannot, ah, read your words."

With his students engrossed in their work once more, Seidaku turned back to face the man and answer his question, "This particular class is, umm, learning the basics of reading and writing. I also have other classes where I teach basic mathematics." With pride in his voice, he added, "I am also versed in, ah, philosophy, theology, ethics, and an assortment of, umm, other skills. There is not much call to, ah, share my knowledge on those subjects, though."

[Keido]

Discipline is good especially when they were still young. These children were lucky to have a good teacher. Keido's smile got a little bigger. This man was not only knowledgeable but dedicated to his calling.

"Those are a lot of subjects. You must have worked very hard with them. I did not expect someone like you in Alvadas."

Keido was certainly impressed with this man. He learned recently that he was supposed to keep an open mind, but it was hard to keep his prejudices away so easily. He needed to learn a lot more if he was going to remedy this and keep his stay in Alvadas more pleasant.

"My name is Keido. Master...?" he reached out his hand for a shake as normally expected. He hoped that this man before him would take it.

"Maybe when you are done with the children I can invite you for a drink? I would be honored to talk to a man like you." There was much Keido could learn from this man. If only he wanted to.

If the man accepted the offer then Keido would take a seat near the children as he waited. If not then Keido would make his way into the Garden. Though very disappointed. But waiting around like that would not be so constructive. Keido could help the man. Happily. A knight was supposed to help his fellow man.

"If you need some help sir, I would be glad to help. Just tell me what you need doing." To help with something fulfilling like teaching children would not be an experience that Keido would want to miss the opportunity of.

[Seidaku]

Seidaku visibly swelled with pride, "I fancy myself as something of a scholar. And sharing that knowledge can, umm, only benefit everyone... in the, ah, long run."

He stared down at the hand Keido had offered, "Oh, umm, yes," he brushed the remaining chalk dust off of his hand onto his trousers, leaving a faint pastel colored stain, before grasping the offered hand in his own, "Seidaku. Always a, umm, a pleasure to meet someone interested in, ah, scholastic endeavors."

The memory of his almost painfully light coinpurse was just as much of an incentive for him to accept the offer of a drink than the chance to have a conversation with someone who obviously appreciated his work, "Absolutely," he said with a grin, "The, ah, honor would be mine."

With the plans made, Seidaku gave a polite nod and returned to his class as Keido took up a place sitting nearby, apparently content to simply watch the class occur. Had he not taken the time to investigate, the attention on his class would have been more than a little unnerving.

Making rounds through the ranks of his class, he periodically knelt to offer a piece of advice to a student or answer a question. This class appeared to be progressing quite well. His only concern was that the repetition and rote memorization of the material was inevitably going to become a problem. Especially in a city with as many... distractions as Alvadas was capable of presenting. In order to keep his students returning, he was not only going to have to teach them, but also make them want to learn. So far, promises of better futures for their children had been enough to get parents to put them into his class, but if those children then lost interest and did not learn anything, the parents would remove them quicker than he could say, 'But what about my mizas?'.

At Keido's question, he finished another explaination of conjugation rules for irregular verbs for one of his more advanced students, and then remained kneeling as he pondered. "Are you lettered?," he finally asked.

[Keido]

Keido watched as Seidaku made his rounds. Trying to make things interesting and new to the children so that they would not get bored. Always doing his best to correct and help them. He could not help but give a smile of approval.

Lettered? Keido was given the education in Syliras that he needed as a child, but he left before it could have progressed further. Though he also stayed at Riverfall and Endrykas where he picked up a thing or two about their language. Writing them would be a problem he foresaw and so he hoped that Seidaku won't ask him for that.

"Yes I am quite confident with writing in common. But not Tuskant or Pavi." There was no shame in admitting that. Better still that Seidaku would know how he can help.

"So what do you need me to do? I could try what you are doing but I am afraid with my lack of experience I would only scare the children." Keido had no illusions of how the children would like him, a brutish arena combatant.

[Seidaku]

He spoke, and could possibly write, Tuskant and Pavi on top of Common? Despite his obviously rough appearance, he was obviously at least basically educated. Which was more than could be said for his students, at least at the moment. Even more importantly, the man recognized the importance of that education in others.

And best of all, he recognized the disruptive presence that a stranger trying to participate in the class could become. Even if there was nothing he could do today, there was definite potential for the future. With his class sizes increasing, he was beginning to see that there were more prospective students than he had bells in the day to devote to adequately teaching them.

If that trend increased, and he intended not to turn away a student who wished to learn, then he would need to do one of two things. Find potential teachers to assist him, or find a way to increase the number of hours in a day.

"I think that you are, ah, probably right," Seidaku finally answered, "But I have something I want to speak to you about, when I am done here."

[Keido]

"Yes of course. I will just be waiting here." It was not like Keido had anything else to do except trying his luck in the garden. But that could always wait for another day.

Seidaku did well in concluding that Keido would be no good today. Getting him to wait for the classes to be over until they could talk. But Keido was not one to waste time. So he attentively watched as Seidaku continued teaching the children. Trying to learn how he did it. The way he convinced the children to continue and the way he corrected them. Keido himself tried to imitate what he saw on several occasions.

"Ah, you might want to use another word. How about man?"

"For this word you are supposed to have a U right over here."

"Is that a big I or a small L?"

Keido said all these things to himself like he saw Seidaku do with the children. Pointing here and there on the ground like he was talking to the children themselves in the supportive tone he had seen Seidaku doing. He would never know when he can use this knowledge. But it is always good to have something extra to use when he needed it.